Attachment for spools of thread



Feb. 2Q, 1951 J. H. ERICKSON 2,542,758

ATTACX'HXiEhfi FOR SPOOLS OF THREAD FiledMarch 26, 1948 'cJmL,

Patented Feb. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in attachments for spools of thread and it consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device, which may be quickly but removably attached to a partially used spool of thread for holding the loose end thereof from unwinding from the spool and at the same time hold an associated sewing needle, when not in actual sewing use, with its pointed end portion covered and protected against accidental engagement by the fingers.

The above mentioned object of the invention, together with others, as well as the advantages thereof, will more fully appear as the specification proceeds.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view ofthe improved at tachment embodying the preferred form of the invention and substantially on a full size scale.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the attachment as taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the attachment, as viewed from the right hand side of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the attachment when applied to a partially used spool of thread and is carrying the associated needle in a protected position, which needle distorts the attachment out of its normal plane, to that extent tensioning it to tightly remain upon the spool.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view through the spool and the attachment as taken on the line 55 and on a scale enlarged over that of Fig. 4.

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention appearing in the drawing and especially to Fig. 1 thereof, the improved attachment is in the form of a device made of flat thin resilient sheet material, which is capable of some flexing out of its normal plane under the action of finger pressure. Certain of the sheeted plastic materials, obtainable in attractive colors, or sheet metal having thedesired characteristics, may be used therefor.

The improved attachment or device, which is wider from side to side than it is from top to bottom, includes a main body portion l0 and projecting laterally from the same longitudinal edge thereof are top and bottom arms ll-l|. Each arm terminates in an extension l2 arranged parallel with the body ID and in alignment with and facing each other. The distance between said arms HIl is predicated on the size of the spool l3, with which it is to be used, that I has thread it wound thereon. The distance be;

Ill

tween each extension [2 and said body is predicated upon the diameter of the end flang.s [5 of the spool. The width of said extensions is predicated upon the diameter of the axial bore.

it of said spool.

Between the arms H-H of the device, there projects from the same longitudinal edge of the body as said arms, a presser tongue II which;

as shown herein, has a height from top to bottom approximating the distance between the opposed ends of the extension l2l2. The

tongue II has a width less than the distancebetween the opposed edges of the arms H and the plane of the free lateral adge of said tongue is spaced inwardly from the plane of the inner edges of the extensions. Extending 1at-rally from the other longitudinal edge of the body is a finger piece 18 having a length approximating the length of the body Hi, arms II and extensions I2 collectively. As shown, but not necessarily so, the finger piece is narrower from top to bottom than said presser tongue but it could be wider than said tongue without altering its function or action. In said finger piece, on its center line, is an opening I9 of such diameter as to permit of the passage of an ordinary sewing needle 20 therethrough, the distance between said hole and the free edge of the presser tongue being shown herein as less than the length of the needle. 1

To apply the device to a spool, it is disposed with the extensions I2l2 engaged with one side of the end flanges l5 of the spool and then moved toward the other side of said flanges. In this movement of the device, said extensions bend over to pass said flanges and when they approach the ends of the bore IS in the spool, they will snap thereinto and then straighten out, as appears in Fig. 4. When the extensions are disposed in the ends of said bore, the body will extend substantially radially of the spool and the tongue II will be flexed from the plane of the body so that the free margin of the tongue will engage .flatwise with a pressure against the.

thread on the spool. In this condition the free end 2| (see Fig. 4) of said thread is disposed under the tongue and is held in place against unwinding from the spool.

The needle 20, with which the thread has been used, may now be inserted, pointed end first, into the opening l9 from that side of the device associated with the bend of the tongue I! and the point.d end of said needle is disposed between the thread Wound on said spool and said tongue. As the needle is rigid, relatively to the device, it will distort and tension that part of the attachment between the hole I9 and the tongue I! so that the tongue engages with sufficient force to clamp upon the needle and prevent it from becoming loosened and displaced from the spool.

After the use of the needle, should a piece 21a of thread remain attached thereto, which is of such length as to be usable in another sewing operation, said piece of thread may be wound spirally about the finger piece l8, as appears in Fig. 4 and its free end may be hooked under one corner of the presser tongue I! to be confined in position thereby.

Thus the spool of thread with the attachment thereon may be disposed in a household sewing box along with others, without tangling therewith and without the thread unwinding there-- from, and without the needle becoming displaced therefrom and usually lost.

The device is a simple integral one that may be readily produced by a die cut stamping operation. Because of its low cost and utility, it readily lends itself for advertising purposes for many household products.

If desired the device may be used to hold the loose end of the thread on the spool, even though a needle is not disposed in the opening [9 of the device.

- While in describing the invention I have referred in detail to the form, arrangement and construction of the attachment or device, the same is to be considered only in the illustrative sense, and therefore, I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be specifically set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An attachment for a spool of thread, made of resilient sheet material capable of being flexed out of its normal plane and embodying therein a body portion longer than and adapted for arrangement longitudinally of one side of a spool having thread wound thereon and an axial bore, members projecting laterally from each end of the same longitudinal edge of said body portionand adapted for endwise retaining entry into the ends of said bore, and a presser tongue between said members and extending laterally from the same longitudinal edge of said body portion and capable of being flexed out of the plane of said body portion to engage upon the thread wound on said spool for holding the loose end thereof from unwinding, there being an opening in said attachment toward that side opposite the first out of its normal plane and embodying therein a body portion longer than and adapted for arrangement longitudinally of one side of a spool having thread wound thereon and an axial bore,

4 members projecting laterally from each end of the same longitudinal edge of said body portion and adapted for endwise retaining entry into the ends of said bore, a presser tongue between said members and extending laterally from the same longitudinal edge of said body portion and capable of being flexed out of the plane of said body portion to engage upon the thread wound on said spool for holding the loose end thereof from unwinding, said body portion having on that longitudinal edge opposite the first mentioned edge, a finger grip extension that is narrower than said tongue, said finger grip extension having an opening therein for the passage of a needle therethrough with its pointed end portion disposed and frictionally held between said tongue and said thread upon the spool.

3. In combination with a spool of thread, an attachment therefor embodying therein a body portion longer than and arranged longitudinally of one side of said spool of thread, members projecting laterally from each end of the same longitudinal edge of the body portion and extending longitudinally into the ends of the axial bore in said spool for retaining the attachment on the spool and a tongue between said members and extending laterally from the same edge of the body and having a flexed surface to surface engagement with the thread wound on the spool for holding the loose end thereof from unwinding, and a needle passing through said body portion at a point spaced from said tongue and toward the other edge of said body and having its pointed end portion disposed and frictionally held between said tongue and said thread upon said spool.

4. An attachment of the kind described for a spool of thread made from a single piece of fiat resilient sheet material capable of being flexed out of its normal plane and formed to provide a body portion having an arm, extending laterally from the same longitudinal edge of the body portion at each end thereof, each arm having at its free end an extension arranged parallel with said edge of the body portion and which extensions are in alignment and face inwardly toward each other, there being a presser tongue projecting from the same edge of the body portion as and shorter than said arms, there being an opening in the attachment at a point spaced from said tongue toward the other edge of said body portion for the passage of a needle therethrough.

JOHN H. ERICKSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNI-TED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 25,859 Fraser Aug. 4, 1896 577,258 Innes 1 Feb. 16, 1897 998,948 Benze et al July 25, 1911 2,103,571 Watson Dec. 28, 1937 

